


Courage

by Penguiduck



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Reader-Insert, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-21 15:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21077417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penguiduck/pseuds/Penguiduck
Summary: There wasn't much that Shizuo wanted.[Reader x Shizuo]





	Courage

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: In bravest night, I’ll make the bad guys take a nap. There's seven heroes, but I am pure milk.
> 
> This is my response to a fun Mad Libs challenge. Aside from using the Mad Libs prompts, I'm using a "blast from the past" as my inspiration. Although Shizuo wasn't a childhood crush of mine, per se, since Durarara!! is a bit newer, I spun this back to his childhood to stay with the theme.
> 
> If you like having your fanfiction requests fulfilled, check out my [500 Kudos Flash Raffle!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227408/chapters/50075282) I encourage everyone to participate. The deadline is tomorrow, Friday, October 18th! You have one more day to join!

"I got lunch for you. I hope you like grilled cheese and tomato bisque. Oh, and here's your milk. 100% whole milk. I didn't forget."

Shizuo grunted in thanks. You knew he enjoyed milk. Cheese and bisque were also good. Overall, your lunch selection was a success.

You sat down next to him on the sidewalk curb with your own meal, the one that your mother had packed for you this morning. "You're welcome," you said.

"Don't you want to have lunch with your friends?" he asked, tilting his head toward the group of people you usually sat and studied with. There were seven girls in total on an average day, including you. This group was considered the cream of the crop in academics and social graces. They were athletic and pretty, and they were the teacher's pets. Today, there were only six girls at the table.

Why you were so kind to him was beyond him. He appreciated it -- he just didn't understand. The other kids didn't want anything to do with him, but you seemed unafraid.

"Sometimes I like a bit of quiet," you said. "They gossip too much."

"Maybe you have the wrong friends."

"Maybe you're right." You looked at him with a small laugh. "I should hang out with you more often."

He frowned. "That's not what I meant."

"Just what you said." You unpacked your lunch, a small bento box of rice and vegetables. Your mother was very concerned about you eating a well-balanced diet. "Besides, isn't it lonely being on your own all the time?"

"No." He guzzled down the whole carton of milk before digging into his sandwich. 

"You must have some strong bones, Shizuo," you said. "I guess that goes along with your strength."

"Don't talk about my strength. You don't know anything."

You shrugged, stirring your food around with chopsticks. "I find it impressive." When he didn't reply, you continued. "I don't think the other students treat you fairly, but you're still here. You're trying your best. I'm sure managing this kind of strength doesn't come easily for you -- I think you bear a burden heavier than most people. And you're still here."

The grilled cheese was gone. "I don't want your pity."

"Why do you feel like it's pity that I'm giving you?" you asked. "I'm giving you admiration. I thought you'd at least be sensitive enough to know the difference."

Shizuo was silent, staring at the soup that remained.

"Well, you don't want my pity, and you don't want my admiration. What is it you want?" 

He thought about your question. It wasn't hard -- he wanted what you had. He wanted to be brave. You were here because you were far braver than the other students. Foolish, even. They were frightened of his strength, but you were not. He wanted the same courage to face his own fears -- perhaps then, he could master his strength. 

Fear was the enemy. He wanted to send it away, put it down where it could lay dormant, never to raise its ugly head again.

And for that, he needed what came so easily to you. 

You sensed the turmoil in his heart, deciding that it was too early at this stage of your friendship to have asked that question. Instead, you handed him the milk you had picked up for yourself, offering it as a token of amity. "Here," you said, "I think you need this more than I do."

He took the carton from you gingerly, the gratitude obvious in his eyes. "Thanks, _____."

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to draw your attention to my raffle to thank those who have left or will leave future comments on my works: [An Expression of Thanks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227408/chapters/48579194). If you like raffles and enjoy having your fanfiction requests fulfilled, take a look. ;) I encourage you to check it out! You have through the end of October to participate.
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://penguiduck.tumblr.com/) for updates and insight on my writing process!


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